RBS records the biggest online visibility growth within the business finance sector for 2024
According to a new report, RBS has achieved the largest increase in online visibility within the business finance market over the past year.
Salience Search Marketing’s annual sector report uncovers the industry’s leaders based on their online prominence and visibility.
The report analysed 11 crucial performance indicators, including year-on-year visibility, search volume trends, and brand awareness, for business finance brands, to reveal the industry’s most successful names. The full report is available to view here.
Online Visibility Growth
Central to this analysis is each brand’s online visibility ranking, which is determined by the organic search traffic their website attracts. This metric is vital for understanding the website’s overall growth or decline.
| Rank | Brands with the biggest growth in visibility YoY | Traffic Score 2024 | Traffic Score 2023 | YoY Visibility Change |
| 1 | RBS | 588,482 | 525,656 | +12% |
| 2 | Cashfloat | 131,587 | 102,588 | +28% |
| 3 | Ulster Bank | 101,271 | 81,394 | +24% |
| 4 | British Business Bank | 82,586 | 37,882 | +118% |
| 5 | Commercial Trust | 24,585 | 5,602 | +339% |
Firstly, it’s been a very productive 12 months for RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) which has grown its online visibility by 12%. This year, the brand now records a traffic score of 588,482.
It was a similar story for Cashfloat, a loan and credit score provider, who increased its visibility online by 28%, now recording a traffic score of 131,587.
Additionally, Ulster Bank, a banking service based in Northern Ireland, improved its visibility this year by 24%. Ulster Bank’s traffic score for 2024 is 101,271.
Next, British Business Bank, a go-to financial brand for small businesses, more than doubled its visibility, rising by an impressive 118%. Now, the company boasts a traffic score of 82,586.
Lastly, it was an effective twelve months for Commercial Trust with an incredible 339% visibility increase. Overall, its traffic score is now 24,585, increasing from 5,602.
These brands stand out as ones to watch, experiencing the most significant growth in the market and demonstrating the success of their strategies in enhancing brand awareness and boosting customer numbers.
Online Visibility Decline
| Rank | Brands with the biggest drop in visibility YoY | Traffic Score 2024 | Traffic Score 2023 | YoY Visibility Change |
| 1 | Shawbrook | 222,958 | 228,036 | -2% |
| 2 | Novuna | 34,142 | 41,530 | -23% |
| 3 | Funding Options | 12,450 | 45,631 | -73% |
| 4 | Lending Expert | 6,689 | 10,179 | -34% |
| 5 | MFB | 5,005 | 9,059 | -45% |
In terms of brands dropping in visibility this year, it was a worrying 12 months for Shawbrook, with visibility decreasing by 2%. It highlights the need to revisit their strategy and amend it accordingly.
Novuna, a brand offering a range of business finance options, saw its online visibility drop by almost a quarter (23%). Now, Novuna has a traffic score of 34,142.
Additionally, Funding Options is another business finance brand that will need to revisit its online strategy, with visibility declining by a massive 73% – a worrying sight for the financial brand.
Lending Expert records a traffic score of 6,689 for 2024 – a 34% decrease on 2023’s findings. Finally, MFB saw its online presence drop by 45%, however, this is understandable as the brand has recently migrated to a new site.
Brett Janes, managing director at Salience Search Marketing, said: “In the digital space, online visibility can make or break a brand operating in such a competitive industry. RBS, Cashfloat and Ulster Bank had years to be proud of, with all three brands boosting their online presence and traffic scores respectively.
“However, Shawbrook and similar brands need a fresh strategy to combat the drop in online visibility. This can avoid further declines in the future and help drive custom after a turbulent twelve months.”
The full Business Finance Report 2024 is available to read and download here.
